After an underwhelming start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has steadied itself, registering back-to-back wins for the first time since 2024.

That upturn has coincided with a sense of continuity. The clash against Kolkata Knight Riders marked the first time this season that CSK fielded an unchanged playing XII, retaining the same combination that faced Delhi Capitals in the previous game. Four pacers and two frontline spinners, with West Indian Akeal Hosein slotted in as the Impact Player, has given the five-time champion balance.

But that balance may not last.

The imminent return of former skipper M.S. Dhoni, currently recovering from a calf strain and expected to be available for the April 18 fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad, complicates the equation.

One option is to deploy Dhoni as an Impact Player. That, however, would likely come at the cost of a pacer, potentially Gurjapneet Singh. The knock-on effect is significant: Shivam Dube, who has bowled just 42 balls in the IPL since 2022, would effectively become the sixth bowling option.

Since 2024, Dhoni has largely operated in the lower order, batting at No. 7 or 8 with a clear brief to maximise the death overs. In that season, he scored 161 runs in 14 matches, striking at over 220 with an average of 53.67.

But the following season, when he briefly resumed captaincy in Gaikwad’s absence, saw a sharp drop. Both his strike rate and average nearly halved, exposing the risks of relying on him beyond a narrowly defined finishing role.

If Dhoni is to return as an Impact Player, that role clarity becomes crucial. He cannot drift into a situational hitter; he has to be a designated finisher.

The alternative is more direct: bring Dhoni into the XI at the expense of either Dube or Sarfaraz Khan.

On current form, Sarfaraz (122 runs @182) makes the stronger case. He has outscored Dube (102 runs @154) this season while maintaining a better strike rate. But the decision is not purely statistical. Dube’s ability to counter spin offers flexibility, especially against teams that stack their attack with slow bowlers.

Dhoni, meanwhile, has shown vulnerability against spin in recent years. Since 2020, he has averaged 25.6 with a strike rate of 95.88 against it; numbers that sit at odds with the demands of a modern finisher. Opposition teams have increasingly responded by holding back an over or two of spin specifically for his arrival, further narrowing his scoring windows late in the innings.

Which leaves CSK with a familiar dilemma, dressed in a new context. Does it preserve a functioning combination or disrupt it for a specialist role that may no longer be as reliable?

Published on Apr 15, 2026